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Background: News footage of the Milestones Early Learning Center in Plymouth, Minn. (KSTP). Inset: Aniya Keosongseng (Hennepin County Sheriff”s Office).
A Minnesota woman has been dismissed from her position at a day care center following an incident where she was reportedly found extremely intoxicated, necessitating hospital care.
Aniya Keosongseng, 21, is facing charges of child endangerment and obstructing a peace officer after an unsettling episode in February. As detailed in a criminal complaint reviewed by Law&Crime, Keosongseng was working as a day care aide at Milestones Early Learning Center in Plymouth, Minnesota, on February 23 when a fellow employee contacted the police, reporting that a teacher appeared to be experiencing a “panic attack.”
Upon arrival, authorities discovered Keosongseng in an intoxicated state.
The complaint indicates that Keosongseng emitted a strong odor of alcohol, and coworkers observed her slurred speech and unsteady movements. Surveillance footage from the day care revealed a decline in her condition throughout the afternoon. The video captured moments where Keosongseng appeared to doze off while attempting to button a child’s clothing. Subsequently, she picked up the child but stumbled backwards into a wall, allegedly causing the child’s head to strike the wall.
Authorities noted that Keosongseng attempted to comfort the child after the incident. However, while trying to move toward the child on the floor, she reportedly lost her balance and fell on top of the child.
When police arrived at the scene and found Keosongseng in her allegedly inebriated state, they went to arrest her. Keosongseng allegedly resisted arrest by “pulling away and dropping herself to the floor.” While on the ground, she allegedly bit an officer on the leg.
According to the complaint, police ran a PBT on Keosongseng, which showed that she had a blood alcohol content of 0.356, more than four times the legal driving limit in Minnesota. Police said Keosongseng admitted that she went home during her lunch hour and drank alcohol before returning to work that day. Instead of bringing her directly to jail, police brought her to the hospital “due to her level of intoxication.”
Local ABC affiliate KSTP received a statement from the day care center stating that Keosongseng was fired immediately. The statement also said that the children she was watching were “moved to another room” so Keosongseng could be “assisted” during what they initially believed was a “potential medical concern.” They acknowledged that “alcohol was involved.”
The day care center’s statement said that after it cooperated with detectives and spoke to the children’s families, “no child was injured as a result of the staff member’s behavior.”
Keosongseng was charged with endangering a child and interfering with a peace officer, both gross misdemeanors. After being booked into the Hennepin County Jail, she was released. Her next court date is scheduled for April 16.